Proportioning distributor for mineral pulp or the like



P 1952 s. D. MICHAELSON ETAL ,6

PROPORTIONING DISTRIBUTOR FOR MINERAL PULP OR THE LIKE Filed June 29, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET l 1441291160119: 574% Bfl Awe 4515mm W/AZMM 5. 5 8N652,

p 1952 s. D. MICHAELSON ET AL 2,610,646

PROPORTIONING DISTRIBUTOR FOR MINERAL PULP OR THE LIKE 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Filed June 29, 1950 apparatus units.

Patented Sept. 16, 1952 *FROPORTIO'NING DISTRIBUTOR FOR iM'I'NERALLPULP OR THE LIKE istanleyjDJvlichaelson and William S. Springer, .TBirming'han ,,Ala., assignors to United States .steelbompanyra icorporation of New Jersey .nimncaiicn luneaa 1950,.s rnosririsi "whims. (oust-+262) ,splits or fractions by one, -;while .maintaining equal distribution among vtherreduced-number .of fractions and without changingthe fiowotthe .parent stream.

In numerous industrial operations, itis desired to divide a stream of fluid materiaL-e. e.,-a' fiotation liquid carrying solids in suspension, -intc fractions for delivery to a battery, of processing An example isthe treatment of pulp (a mixtureof. ore or coal with aliquid flotation medium) ,on concentratingor .washing tables. In such operation, thepulp is .mixedin a large tank and ,a stream therefrom is divided between a number of tables which is.sometimes large. Thus the subdivision may involve successive stages, i. e., a primary-subdivision followed by a secondary separation ofeach stream'resulting from the primary stage. .For purposes of maintenance or .repair, .it is occasionallynecessary to shut down one of the processing units .or tables of a group or battery. When this .happens, the stream of pulpifee'ding .the particular unit requirin maintenance attention mustbe either diverted to a spare unit or redistributed among the units remaining .in. operation.

We have invented a novel apparatus .fo r.,subdividing a pulp stream intoaugiven numberof fractions, which is capable of equally-redistributing any selected fractionamong'the,remainder when desired,v thereby reducing Ithe (number or fractions by one and permitting:thediscontinuance of the supply or pulp toanyunit ofa battery of coal-washing or ore-concentrating tables, for example, without alteringl'the .fiow of Lthe main supply stream. In a preferred embodiment, we provide a tank havingcompartmentsfto the desired number spaced about a common center, each with a bottom. outlet. IA rotating tank mounted on a vertical spindle above the stationary tank receives the main.supply stream to be subdivided and is provided with bottom outlets spaced around the spindle, one'less iin number than the outlets of the-stationarytank. intermediate tank is 'journale'don thespindleibetween the rotating and stationary. tanks 'and has compartments spaced about thespindleegual in number to the outlets of the rotatingtank. Each compartment of the intermediate .tank has .a bottom outlet and the outlets are so locatedthat, When the intermediate tank isstationary, they feediall but 'one of the'compartments of the-stationary "tank. An *overrunning clutch --on fthe spindle causes it to drive the intermediate tank on rotation of 1t he spindle in one direction-but notfiin the other. A latchis provided for holding the-intermediate tank in'a selected position when it is not beingdriven.

:We also .make provisions for combining "the streams from adjacent joutlets 1 in *the stationary tank; therebyireducing the number of'equal fractions to half "the'number 'oi outlets.

A complete. understanding of'the-invention may be obtained from the "following detailed description and explanation which refer'to the accompanying drawings illustrating apreferredembodiment.

In the drawings,

Figure '1- is :a central vertical section through our distributorshowing parts in elevation; I

Figures 2 and "3 are transversesections=taken along the planes of lines II- H and "III- 111, respectivelyyof Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is a vertical section throughthe-bearings 'andioverrunning ChfllCh'Df thefintermediate tank.

-Referringnow in detail f to the drawings, the distributor indicated generally at I I) is imounte'd within a structural frame [I including corner posts l I and upper-andlower cross-"members-l l and l l' grespectively QA tank .12 is disposed at the bottom of the frame. "Itis composed of a circular .side wall "12 a bottom 1 2. :agcentral spindle I-lf5. journaled centrally in .the frame in a radialbearing lBaandathrust bearing lfib, I-he bearing f5 is-mountedon .a cross-beam lb and bearing lfi ismounted on the bottom of "thatank 12 "within the sleeve .l:2.. Arrns l l extending radially 'from the spindle 4-5 Support ;a rotating tank 18 and ,a baiile [Ill disposed therein whic his open at the top and ;bottomand converges ;downwardly. The fluidsstreamtobe-divided into fractions is ;delivered by a launder :20 "to ;a;-feed box or spout 2 I which discharges into the E haiffle :lfl.

' tank 18 has .outlets-z2 -inithe bottomthjereof spaced circumferentially about the axis of the spindle E5. The number of these outlets is one less than the number of compartments and bottom outlets H3 in tank l2, 1. e., seven in the illustrated example, as shown in Figure Each outlet has a spud 22* removably disposed therein so that the combined volume of flow from the tank may be adjusted by changing spuds.

An intermediate tank 23 is journaled on the spindle l5 between the tank l2 and the tank it. The tank 23 comprises a circular side wall 23 a central sleeve 23* and a bottom 23. l5 extends through the sleeve and the upper end of the latter is secured to a bearing while the bottom is secured to a bearing 25 on the spindle, as shown more clearly in Figure 4. These in each compartment of tank l2. The resulting eight fractions of the supply stream are conducted to the several processing units by suitable connections (not shown) extending from the nozzles lB swiveled to outlets It.

In order to reduce the number or" sub-divisions or fractions of the main stream leaving the distributor it from eight to seven, it is only necessary to reverse the direction in which the spindle i5 is driven and operate latch 33 to hold tank 23 in a pre-selected position. When tank [8 is Spindle bearings permitthe tank 23 to remain stationary while the spindle it) turns. An overrunning clutch 26 between the bearings has an inner member keyed to the spindle and an outer member secured to the outer race of bearing 21: by bolts El extending through spacer sleeves 2%. Wedging recesses Z'd between the inner and outer members of the clutch have rollers 28 therein which serve in the known manner torcause tional engagement between the clutch members when the spindle is driven clockwise, as shown in Figure 3. Thus, the tank 23 turns with the spindie when thelatter is driven clockwise but re" mains stationary when the spindle is dri'en in the reverse direction. Tank 23 is divided into a plurality of compartments by radial partitions E29 and each compartment has an outlet 29 extending through the bottom thereof. The nunber of compartments and outlets in tank 23 the same as the number of outlets 22* from to it, i. e., one less than the number of outlets or seven, in the illustrated embodiment.

A cylindrical stationary splash guard ex tends upwardly from the bottom of tank 42. A similar guard 3| within the guard 35 extends upwardly from the bottom of tank '23 which GX tends outwardly beyond the side wall thereof. The guard 3i therefore rotates with tank 23 when it is in motion. A similar stationary guard 32 is suspended from the top of the frame l l and fits within the guard 3!. A latch member 33 is pivoted on a cross-bar 355 secured to the frame ii and is adapted to enter one of a plurality of notches spaced circumferentially about the upper edge of the guard 38 to hold the tank 23 in a pro-selected position when the spindle i5 is driven counter-clockwise, for a purpose which will appear shortly.

In order to explain the operation of the apparatus, it will first be assumed that spindle i5 is being driven clockwise so that ie interme diate tank 23 rotates with tank :8; The fluid stream, e. g., mineral pulp, delivered by launder 2i) falls through feed box 2! and baffle it into tank W. The spuds 22* have openings of such size as to maintain tank 18 normally about 0nc= half full of fluid. Since the tank '23 rotates with the tank [8, each of the outlets 22 of the latter feeds one of the compartments defined by the baffles 29 in tank 23. Each outlet 29 of tank 23, furthermore, distributes its portion of the supply stream uniformly among the compartments of tank l2 defined by partitions 82. The total input to each compartment of tank 52, of course, will be constituted by the fractional portions deposited therein by each of the outlets 29 in passing over that compartment. It is evident that, with a uniform speed of spindle :5, equal amounts of fluid material will be deposited driven counter-clockwise by spindle I5, its outlets 22 distribute the supply stream amon the compartments of tank 23, now being held stationary, in the same manner in which the tank 23, when rotating distributes the fluid material uniformly among the compartments of tank 12, as described above. It will be noted from Figure 3 that all compartments of tank l2, except one, are supplied by an. outlet =29 from tank 23. That is, the outlets 29 number one less than the compartments in tank l2 and are positioned so that each one discharges into only one of seven of thecompartments of tank i2 leaving the eighth without fluid material. The distribution of the incoming stream from tank is to the compart ments'of tank 23 beinguniform because of the relative rotation, the incoming material is now redistributed uniformly among seven of the outlets ts from tank; l2 instead of eight as previously, the dew from each outlet beingiinereased proportionately.

The particular compartment of tank l2 which is deprived of fluid material depends on th position of tank 23 relative to tank l2, i. e., it depends on which of the outlets i3 is under the portion of tank 23 between the most widely spaced outlets 2%, as readily observable in Figure 3. Thus, by adjusting tank 23 appropriately'relative to any one of the outlets 53, from tank [2, the fluid supply to that particular outlet may be discontinued. For this purpose, the splash guard 3! has eight notches spaced circumferentially at its upper edge for cooperation with latch memher 33.

By virtue of, the construction and operation described, it will be apparent that the incoming fluid material is distributed uniformly among all the outlets l3 vwhile the tank 23 is" rotating and that the flow of material from any one of the outlets 13 may bestoppedby holding tank 23 stationary in a previously selectedposition. This 7 permits the processingunit fed from any one of the outlets to be shut down without interfering with the continued operation of the others and without requiring any stoppage or change in the flow of incoming material. The swiveleol nozzles on outlets 13 may be adjusted or positioned so that each pair of adjacent outlets discharge into thesame duct or.pipe, thus reducing the total number of sub-divisions of the main stream to one-half the number usually ekisting, i. e., from eight to four. Y

Weclaim: U

1. A proportioning summarisisubdividing a stream of fluid material comprising a tank having a plurality of compartments spaced about a common center, each compartmenthaving an outlet, a rotating tank above said-firstilentioned tank mounted on avertical spindle'adapted to 7 receive said streamjsaid rotating tank having outlets fewer in number than those, of said firstmentioned tank, an intermediate tank journ-aled on said spindle between the first-mentioned tank and the rotating tank, said intermediate tank having compartments spaced about said spindle of the same number as the outlets from said rotating tank, said intermediate tank having outlets, one from each compartment, said last-mentioned outlets being spaced so that each one is alined with but one of the compartments of the first-mentioned tank when the intermediate tank is held stationary, and an overrunning clutch on said spindle for driving said intermediate tank when said spindle rotates in one direction.

2. The apparatus defined by claim 1 characterized by the compartments in said first-mentioned and intermediate tanks being defined by walls disposed radially relative to the axis of said spindle.

3. The apparatus defined by claim 1 characterized by said first-mentioned and intermediate tanks having sleeves spaced radially from and surrounding said spindle and walls extending radially outward from said sleeves forming said compartments.

4. The apparatus defined by claim 1 characterized by a thrust bearing for said shaft in said first-mentioned tank and a radial bearing for the spindle above said rotating tank.

5. The apparatus defined by claim 1 characterized by said spindle being in substantially axial alignment with said common center.

6. A proportioning distributor for subdividing a stream of fluid material comprising a tank having a plurality of compartments spaced about a common center, a rotating tank mounted on a vertical spindle above said first-mentioned tank, said rotating tank having circumferentially spaced outlets in the bottom thereof numbering fewer than said compartments, an intermediate tank journaled on said spindle between the firstmentioned tank and the rotating tank, having compartments spaced thereabout to the same number as the outlets from the rotating tank. said intermediatetank being adapted to remain stationary while the spindle rotates or to turn therewith, the compartments of the intermediate tank having outlets spaced so that each discharges into one only of the compartments of the first-mentioned tank when the intermediate tank is stationary.

7. The apparatus defined by claim 6 characterized by means effecting a driving connection between said spindle and said intermediate tank when the spindle turns in one direction.

STANLEY D. MICHAELSON. WILLIAM S. SPRINGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Spinello Oct. 19. 

